Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • intransitive verb To cause to exist or happen; bring about; create.
  • intransitive verb To bring into existence by shaping, modifying, or putting together material; construct.
  • intransitive verb To form by assembling individuals or constituents.
  • intransitive verb To change from one form or function to another.
  • intransitive verb To cause to be or become.
  • intransitive verb To cause to assume a specified function or role.
  • intransitive verb To cause to act in a specified manner.
  • intransitive verb To compel.
  • intransitive verb To form in the mind.
  • intransitive verb To compose.
  • intransitive verb To prepare; fix.
  • intransitive verb To get ready or set in order for use.
  • intransitive verb To gather and light the materials for (a fire).
  • intransitive verb To engage in.
  • intransitive verb To carry out; perform.
  • intransitive verb To achieve, produce, or attain.
  • intransitive verb To institute or establish; enact.
  • intransitive verb To draw up and execute in a suitable form.
  • intransitive verb To arrange or agree to.
  • intransitive verb To arrive at; reach.
  • intransitive verb To reach in time.
  • intransitive verb To attain the rank or position of.
  • intransitive verb To acquire a place in or on.
  • intransitive verb To gain or earn, as by working.
  • intransitive verb To behave so as to acquire.
  • intransitive verb To score or achieve, as in a sport.
  • intransitive verb To assure the success of.
  • intransitive verb To favor the development of.
  • intransitive verb To be suited for.
  • intransitive verb To develop into.
  • intransitive verb To draw a conclusion as to the significance or nature of.
  • intransitive verb To calculate as being; estimate.
  • intransitive verb To consider as being.
  • intransitive verb To constitute.
  • intransitive verb To add up to.
  • intransitive verb To amount to.
  • intransitive verb To cover (a distance).
  • intransitive verb To constitute the essence or nature of.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English maken, from Old English macian; see mag- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English make, imake, from Old English ġemaca ("a mate, an equal, companion, peer"), from Proto-Germanic *gamakô (“companion, comrade”), from Proto-Indo-European *maǵ- (“to knead, oil”). Reinforced by Old Norse maki ("an equal"). Cognate with Icelandic maki ("spouse"), Swedish make ("spouse, husband"), Danish mage ("companion, fellow, mate"). See also match.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English maken, from Old English macian ("to make, build, work"), from Proto-Germanic *makōnan (“to make, build, work”), from Proto-Indo-European *mag- (“to knead, mix, make”). Cognate with Scots mak ("to make"), Saterland Frisian moakje ("to make"), West Frisian maaikjen ("to make") and oanmeitsje ("to act, make"), Dutch maken ("to make"), Dutch Low Saxon maken ("to make") and German Low German maken ("to make"), and German machen ("to make, do"). Related to match.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Origin uncertain.

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Examples

Comments

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  • See set. The verb make has overtaken the verb set as the longest entry in the OED.

    November 16, 2007

  • 'Engage in'?

    'I engage in money'

    'Let's engage in merry'

    'Engage in hay while the sun shines'

    'I want to engage in her happy'

    'I engage in you my heir'

    'Don't engage in a fuss'

    'Let us engage in peace'

    I suppose the last one is the most probable. WeirdNet strikes again.

    November 29, 2007

  • Citaion on kooch show.

    June 30, 2012